The Forum

Pillaging Scripture

It is tiresomely typical of those who have made up their minds (and are not about to be confused with logic, facts, reason or reality of any kind) that they rush to pillage the Scriptures for proof-texts in self-defense (see Jack Meinhardt, “Why Publish Porn?” AO 04:06). The fact is that the verse Meinhardt quotes from John’s gospel—about the truth making one free—is taken grotesquely, even ridiculously, out of context. In its entirety the text reads: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31–32). I cannot imagine Abraham, or Jesus, or Hillel, or John, or Paul, or Augustine or Luther salivating over pornography, ancient or modern.

I did not quote directly from the Gospel of John in my defense of our publishing photos of the Turin Erotic Papyrus. Rather, I quoted a letter that appeared ten years ago in our sister magazine Biblical Archaeology Review; it was the letter writer who stooped so low as to quote from John. As for Mr. Doan’s other point, I can’t speak for Abraham and the others, but Augustine did pray to God, “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet!” (Confessions 8.7).—J.M.